LandPride Grading Scraper

[BlacknTan]

I've got a pretty long gravel driveway that needs regular maintenance..

I was ready to buy a Woods Landscape rake until I saw this new attachment from LandPride. It looks like it would fill the bill perfectly to me, but, I'm interested in the thoughts of those with more experience maintasining gravel driveways.. I want it neat, but I don't want something too aggressive..

Land Pride Grading Scrapers

They also have a video of the unit in action on the website.

 

[pitt_md]

Nice looking unit but I think you would get more milage from a box scraper. Thats what I use on my driveway and it comes out picture perfect.

Your milage may vary....

 

[rcowan]

Box scraper is the only way to go.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Just my 2 cents, but if you are looking for a primary road maintenance implement, then you are looking in the right direction. The Land Pride unit might be a little on the light weight side, but there are many manufacturers of similar implements. I usually recommend either one of these. Road Boss Grader - Road and Landscape Grading, Surfacing and Leveling, and Material Spreading and Reclamation or GradeMaster Grader Blades. I have over 2 miles of dirt roads that I maintain and have a box blade, a rear blade, a landscape rake and a Road Master road grader blade. While each and every implement excels in its own right, if I could only have one implement to maintain our roads with, it would be my road grader blade. If you intend to use the implement for many uses, then another implement might work out better for you.

Again, just my opinion and trying to give some info on what has worked good for me.

Good luck

 

[Glowplug]

I haven't used any type of grading scraper so I really can't classify myself as one who is experienced. But I DID stay at a Holiday Inn once!

Seriously, I would have to agree with what Brian (MtnViewRanch) says. If you are going to use it for grading your driveway the large majority of the time then a grading scraper would be the best. I'm not too sure about the Landpride model though since it appears to be light-duty. I'm not sure what type tractor you would be pulling it behind. Box scrapers are extremely popular. I'm sure you will get plenty of replies recommending them. They are a great all-around grading and earth-moving implement but for driveway/road maintenance I'd think a grading scraper would fit the bill.

That's my 2-cents and you can take it with a grain of salt.

 

[schmism]

i own a RB3572 rear blade.

with guage wheels (or without and some practice) its a much better tool for maintaining a driveway than either a grader scraper or box blade.

The highway dept maintains there gravel roads with a fancy rear blade, able to tilt, rotate, sweep. This is all important to moving gravel correctly, cutting crown, pulling loose gravel that has migrated to the edge back to the center, mixing the top layer of the gravel to get a good ratio of small and large aggregate which is important to a stable hard surface. cutting ditches on the sides of the road for water run off. Youll aslo find it much more useful for moving snow than a box or grader scraper. a plus if you dont already own a full size plow.

most of the points listed above neither a grader scraper or box blade can do. what they can do they generally dont do well when it comes to fine tuneing and maintaining a driving surface.

For building or repairing heavly neglected road/drive a box blade is going to be more effective, but maintaining and building are 2 entirely different activites IMHO.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

i own a RB3572 rear blade.

with guage wheels (or without and some practice) its a much better tool for maintaining a driveway than either a grader scraper or box blade.

The highway dept maintains there gravel roads with a fancy rear blade, able to tilt, rotate, sweep. This is all important to moving gravel correctly, cutting crown, pulling loose gravel that has migrated to the edge back to the center, mixing the top layer of the gravel to get a good ratio of small and large aggregate which is important to a stable hard surface. cutting ditches on the sides of the road for water run off. Youll aslo find it much more useful for moving snow than a box or grader scraper. a plus if you dont already own a full size plow.

most of the points listed above neither a grader scraper or box blade can do. what they can do they generally dont do well when it comes to fine tuneing and maintaining a driving surface.

For building or repairing heavly neglected road/drive a box blade is going to be more effective, but maintaining and building are 2 entirely different activites IMHO.

Show me a single edge blade that removes wash board as quick and easy as a good twin blade road blade and I might change my mind, but I doubt it. I used to use my rear blade to maintain our roads, and am quite good with it, and still use it when needed, in fact I use all four of the implements that I listed on our roads when the contitions call for it, but that does not change the fact that for me, with our decomposed granite for road ways the road grader blade is the preferred single implement to maintain our roads. Yes county's continually use road graders to grade the roads, that does not imply that it is always the best tool for the job, just the tool that they have that works the best for all the different things that they have to do.

As others have stated, they get their roads about perfect with one implement or another, as did I with my rear blade. But it in no way was as easy or as fast as the twin bladed road grader blade. When our roads need grading, I need to get them done as fast as possible, and that is accomplished with the road grader blade. I do not have the time that it takes to accomplish this with one of the other implements.

Schmism, have you had the chance to use a good road grader blade? You might be surprised at how well that they work, and they will do a lot more than what it sounds like you think that they will do. Everybody that I have recommended them to that has actually looked at and used them has bought one and are very satisfied with them.

Again all of this is just from my experience and what I have seen with others, your conditions may very well be completely different and none of what I have done or seen would work in your area.

 

[smitty9266]

I own all the toys Errrr...tools. Grader, rear blade, multiple rakes, box blade. They all have their purpose rake to remove grass from gravel, box blade to fill large holes, rear blade to recrown the road. I have 2000 foot of gravel drive maintain 10 acres of gravel at brother-in-laws business and 3 acres of gravel at the trucking yard where i work. For overall maintenance I use the grademaster grader blade, fills pot holes, removes washboard, and pulls gravel back to the wheel ruts on the driveway. Most important it takes the top 1 inch and mixes or more truly un mixes it, puts the gravel fines down and brings the aggregate up. Leaves a smooth finish with the least dust when finished.

I came back to edit my post: A grader does not need to be heavy duty it is made to move a small amount of gravel or dirt at a time
to level it. most not all are for this purpose if you Find one with two straight blades it is made for heavy
duty use, but you loose the advantage of the angle blades moving the gravel left to right.

Jeff

 

[weldingisfun]

Just my 2 cents, but if you are looking for a primary road maintenance implement, then you are looking in the right direction. The Land Pride unit might be a little on the light weight side, but there are many manufacturers of similar implements. I usually recommend either one of these. Road Boss Grader - Road and Landscape Grading, Surfacing and Leveling, and Material Spreading and Reclamation or GradeMaster Grader Blades. I have over 2 miles of dirt roads that I maintain and have a box blade, a rear blade, a landscape rake and a Road Master road grader blade. While each and every implement excels in its own right, if I could only have one implement to maintain our roads with, it would be my road grader blade. If you intend to use the implement for many uses, then another implement might work out better for you.

Again, just my opinion and trying to give some info on what has worked good for me.

Good luck

I'll give you a thumbs up on the Road Boss. An 84" weighs in at about 800#. Does a great job.

 

[BlacknTan]

Thanks for all the replies. I appreciate them all.

I spoke to the gentleman from GradeMaster this morning. I can get one of his scrapers here including shipping cheaper than the best price I got on the LP.

looks like I'll be going with the GradeMaster...

 

[schmism]

Schmism, have you had the chance to use a good road grader blade? You might be surprised at how well that they work, and they will do a lot more than what it sounds like you think that they will do. Everybody that I have recommended them to that has actually looked at and used them has bought one and are very satisfied with them.

I have no doubt that they work really well for the singular purpose for which they were built for. But in my world, something costing that much with such a limited use, isnt the right choice for me. I would rather spend the same money (or close to it) for something that could do so much more, not only on the driveway, but other uses as well.

I suppose if we all could own whatever we wanted we would all opt to have a road grader, HD box blade, HD rear blade and HD landscape rake.

But im a firm beliver that if you have limited funds and need something to maintain a driveway, a rear blade will serve you best in the long run.

As for removing washboard, its been my experience that those that find it difficult to smooth it out are takeing the wrong approach of just trying to skim the tops off the high spots and deposit the material in the low spots. When in fact the correct and non-hassle way is to completely cut off the high spot, takeing 1/2" off the low spot, 3" off the high spot in one pass. depositing the material in a windrow, then going back and smoothing out the windrow. But of course this method can't be practiced with a box blade as it does not windrow, a landscape rake does not possess enough edge to remove enough material. There grader blade does this without the window, so removing the need for the second pass. so you saved time, great then you can look at that expensive attachment sitting on the pallet in the corner even longer as it has no other use.

 

[Glowplug]

I was under the impression that the OP wanted a specific implement that would be the BEST implement for maintaining a gravel driveway and be used essentially ONLY for that purpose. I didn't feel that he was looking for something that would do the job decently, albeit take longer, so that he could also use it for other purposes. I could be wrong though.

 

[BlacknTan]

I was under the impression that the OP wanted a specific implement that would be the BEST implement for maintaining a gravel driveway and be used essentially ONLY for that purpose. I didn't feel that he was looking for something that would do the job decently, albeit take longer, so that he could also use it for other purposes. I could be wrong though.

I assume that I'm the OP... (I hope that means something good)

Glowplug is correct. I was looking for the best tool for maintaining a gravel driveway. But I appreciate all responses.

 

[schmism]

I was under the impression that the OP wanted a specific implement that would be the BEST implement for maintaining a gravel driveway and be used essentially ONLY for that purpose.

I was ready to buy a Woods Landscape rake until I saw this new attachment from LandPride. It looks like it would fill the bill perfectly to me, but, I'm interested in the thoughts of those with more experience maintasining gravel driveways.. I want it neat, but I don't want something too aggressive..

you and i must read differently as i see no indication of a statement like "i need the best tool for this job" (a often question on TBN)

i suppose i keyed in on

I'm interested in the thoughts of those with more experience maintasining gravel driveways..

which i consider my self experienced and have given my thoughts on it


<edit> seems blackntan posted while i was typeing up mine <edit>

 

[BlacknTan]

you and i must read differently as i see no indication of a statement like "i need the best tool for this job" (a often question on TBN)

i suppose i keyed in on which i consider my self experienced and have given my thoughts on it


<edit> seems blackntan posted while i was typeing up mine <edit>

I'm sorry I wasn't more succinct in my question at the start...

I'm less experienced that alot of folks here, so I do appreciate all comments.

 

[LetsRoll]

Show me a single edge blade that removes wash board as quick and easy as a good twin blade road blade and I might change my mind, but I doubt it.

Here you go...lol ~~ Actually, mine has two blades, but the front blade does all of the cutting. The second blade does only the smoothing.

By the way, I built mine for $600. The OP might consider building one before buying one.

Before

After

Another After

 

[schmism]

Here you go...lol ~~ Actually, mine has two blades, but the front blade does all of the cutting. The second blade does only the smoothing.

i thought that was the norm for the leading blade to be some fraction of an inch lower than the rear which was basicly flush. ( i thought the really good ones allowed you to change the setting of one (the front) or both)

 

[LetsRoll]

By the way, those pictures are from a customers driveway that I did. My road grader cost me $600 to build. To date, that road grader has made me over $8000. Money well spent on material to build it.

 

[LetsRoll]

i thought that was the norm for the leading blade to be some fraction of an inch lower than the rear which was basicly flush. ( i thought the really good ones allowed you to change the setting of one (the front) or both)

Steve, some have both blades hanging down. I got my idea from the duragrader. Mine is heavy enough that it does not need both blades to cut. I can change the top link length (hydraulic cylinder via rear remote) and the front blade will only smooth. Also, mine will cut a pot hole with no problem. My grader weighs a little over 1200 lbs.

Cliff


~EDIT~
The two pictures are of hard dirt.

 

[Glowplug]

I guess different people see things differently and have different interpretations. What I guess I concentrated on was that only one specific task was mentioned.

I've got a pretty long gravel driveway that needs regular maintenance..

I was ready to buy a Woods Landscape rake until I saw this new attachment from LandPride. It looks like it would fill the bill perfectly to me, but, I'm interested in the thoughts of those with more experience maintaining gravel driveways.. I want it neat, but I don't want something too aggressive..

LetsRoll: I thought MtnViewRanch was referring to a Rear Blade that could do the job as well. . . Basically what Schmism is demonstrating. You're showing a grading blade that you constructed. Don't get me wrong, it's extremely nice! I just thought he was saying that a grading blade was the way to go and wondered if someone could show him a single rear blade do as good a job.

Man, I've gotta cut out this trying to read other peoples' minds. Somebody slap me!!